Switching device for rim water in low tank toilet

ABSTRACT

A switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, in which even when a channel pipe is closed according to a change in the level of water that is discharged to the rim through a water supply tube, some water that is supplied from a filler valve is supplied to the rim through a fill-up water inlet hole and the water level in the toilet tank can be controlled by selectively controlling the height of a float, so that the water can be economically and efficiently used, and in which a water level control unit can be lifted up according to the change in the level of water that is discharged to the rim, so that the channel pipe can be closed and the toilet tank can be filled with water.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates, in general, to a low tank toilet in which the height of a toilet tank is lower than that of the rim of a toilet bowl and, more particularly, to a switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, in which even when a channel pipe is closed according to a change in the level of water that is discharged to the rim through a water supply tube, some water that is supplied from a filler valve is supplied to the rim through a fill-up water inlet hole and the water level in the toilet tank can be controlled by selectively controlling the height of a float, so that the water can be economically and efficiently used, and in which a water level control unit can be lifted up according to the change in the level of water that is discharged to the rim, so that the channel pipe can be closed and the toilet tank can be filled with water.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, when a flush handle of a low tank toilet is manipulated to flush a toilet bowl after relieving oneself, a tank ball that is connected to the flush handle is lifted up and opens a flush hole of the toilet tank. Therefore, toilet water is discharged from the toilet tank to the trap of a toilet bowl, thereby flushing the toilet bowl while removing urine and feces. In the above state, the toilet water of the toilet tank is also supplied to the rim through a rim water supply pipe and is discharged to the toilet bowl through rim water discharge holes, thereby washing the toilet bowl while removing remnants from the toilet bowl.

However, the conventional low tank toilet is problematic in that the rim water supply pipe is placed in a lower part of the toilet tank and discharges rim water through the rim water discharge holes that are placed at higher locations than the surface of the toilet water, so that a sufficient amount of rim water cannot be supplied to the rim and, accordingly, the rim water that is discharged from the rim cannot realize a desired washing effect.

In an effort to overcome the problems, a toilet having a rim water supply device using a jet pump has been proposed, as disclosed in Korean Patent No. 0483510.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the toilet disclosed in the above-mentioned patent is operated in such a way that, when a flush handle 16 is manipulated, a tank ball 15 is opened so that toilet water is discharged into a toilet bowl and, at the same time, cold water is supplied from a filler valve 13 through a filler valve connection tube 17. In the above state, a jet pump 20 is operated and the cold water is supplied into a rim water channel 18 together with the toilet water that has been stored in a toilet tank 12. Here, the toilet water in the toilet tank is drawn into the rim water channel 18 through an inlet port 24 by the pressure of the cold water. When the water level in the toilet tank 12 is reduced in the above state, a control ball 26 moves downward in a ball guide tube 25 and closes a throat 22.

Further, when the toilet water has been discharged from the toilet tank 12, the tank ball 15 is closed. In the above state, although cold water is continuously supplied from the filler valve 13, the control ball 26 closes the throat 22 so that the operation of the jet pump 20 is stopped and the cold water collides against the control ball 26, thereby being charged into the toilet tank 12. When the toilet tank is filled with cold water to a predetermined full water level, the filler valve 13 stops the supply of cold water and the control ball 26 moves upward in the ball guide tube 25 due to buoyancy and stays in a waiting state for next flushing.

However, the above-mentioned patent has the following problems. Although the toilet of the patent is provided with the jet pump at a location between the filler valve and the rim water channel so as to solve the problems experienced in the prior art and, accordingly, the amount of rim water that is supplied to the rim water channel can be increased, the toilet of the patent is problematic in that, when the toilet water is discharged in response to the operation of the flush handle and the water level in the toilet tank is thus reduced, the control ball very quickly drops to the inlet port due to a suction force that draws the toilet water in the toilet tank by the pressure of the cold water that is supplied from the filler valve, so that the control ball collides against the ball guide tube and generates noise.

Further, when an assembly of the ball guide tube and the jet pump fails to form a desired assembling angle between them during a process of producing the vertically extending ball guide tube, the control ball may be caught in a lower part of the ball guide tube even when the water level in the toilet tank is increased. In the above state, a sufficient amount of water may not be supplied to the rim water channel during the process of supplying the toilet water so that the rim water cannot realize a desired washing effect.

Further, the control ball moves upward or downward according to a change in the water level in the toilet tank so that, to control the supply of water, the toilet water should be discharged until the toilet tank is emptied to the bottom. Further, the control ball moves in the ball guide tube so that it is impossible to control the location at which the flow passage for water is switched. Further, the control ball closes the throat by the pressure of water that is supplied from the filler valve, so that it is impossible to supply fill-up water or to optionally control the control ball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the related art, and the present invention is intended to propose a switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, in which even when a supply water switching unit closes a channel pipe according to a change in the level of water that is discharged through a water supply tube, some water that is supplied from a filler valve is supplied to the rim of a toilet bowl through a fill-up water inlet hole, and in which the water level in the toilet tank can be controlled by controlling the position of a float that is mounted to one of a plurality of level control holes of a water level control unit, so that the present invention can economically and efficiently use water.

Further, the present invention is also intended to propose a switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, in which even when the toilet bowl is blocked during a process of flushing the toilet bowl, the pressure of cold water that is supplied from the filler valve draws toilet water from a vertical pipe and discharges the toilet water to the rim so that a buoy moves downward according to a reduction in the water level in the toilet tank, and a water level control unit is forcibly lifted up and the channel pipe is closed, thereby filling the toilet tank with water.

In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, including: a water supply tube that draws and supplies toilet water from a toilet tank when cold water flowing from a filler valve is supplied to a channel pipe thereof in response to an operation of a flush handle; an operating chamber that is formed through the water supply tube and defines an operating space for installing a supply water switching unit; the supply water switching unit that is installed in the operating chamber so that, when toilet water is discharged into a toilet bowl in response to an operation of the flush handle, the supply water switching unit opens the channel pipe of the water supply tube and, when a water level in the toilet tank is reduced due to discharge of toilet water, the supply water switching unit closes the channel pipe of the water supply tube, thereby filling the toilet tank with water; a fill-up water inlet hole that is formed through a switching unit body of the supply water switching unit in such a way that the fill-up water inlet hole communicates with a guide opening of the supply water switching unit and can supply fill-up water to the toilet bowl; a water level control unit which includes a support link that is mounted to an end of the supply water switching unit, a wire connection hole that is formed in a first end of the support link, and a plurality of level control holes that are formed in a second end of the support link so that a float can be mounted to one of the level control holes so as to control the water level; the float that is mounted to one of the level control holes of the water level control unit so that the float can open or close the channel pipe of the water supply tube according to a change in the water level of the toilet tank; and a rim water supply pipe that is mounted to the water supply tube and supplies water to a rim of the toilet bowl.

The present invention is advantageous in that, even when the supply water switching unit closes the channel pipe according to a change in the level of water that is discharged through the water supply tube, some water that is supplied from the filler valve flows to the rim through a fill-up water inlet hole, thereby being charged into the toilet bowl. Further, the water level control unit is mounted to a side of the supply water switching unit and controls the water level in the toilet tank, so that the present invention can economically and efficiently use toilet water.

Another advantage of the present invention resides in that, even when the trap of the toilet bowl is blocked during a toilet bowl flushing process, the pressure of water that is supplied from the filler valve can draw water from the vertical pipe of the water supply tube so as to discharge the water from the rim. Further, in the above state, the buoy moves downward according to a reduction in the water level so that the buoy forcibly lifts up the water level control unit and closes the channel pipe, thereby filling the toilet tank with water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional rim water supply device;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view illustrating the construction of a conventional jet pump;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side sectional view illustrating a water supply tube of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side sectional view illustrating a water control unit of the present invention;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are views illustrating the present invention that is installed in a toilet;

FIGS. 9 and 10 are views illustrating a state in which water is supplied to the rim of a toilet bowl through the water supply tube of the present invention;

FIGS. 11 and 12 are views illustrating a state in which water is being charged in the toilet tank in response to a reduction in the water level;

FIG. 13 is a view illustrating a state in which the height of a float of the present invention is controlled in vertical directions;

FIGS. 14 through 16 are views illustrating an operation of the water control unit of the present invention; and

FIG. 17 is a sectional view illustrating another embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinbelow, reference will now be made in greater detail to preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, it should be understood that the present invention may be embodied in a plurality of forms without being limited to the embodiments described.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the present invention, FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a side sectional view illustrating a water supply tube of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a side sectional view illustrating a water control unit of the present invention.

The present invention includes: a water supply tube 110 that draws and supplies toilet water from a toilet tank 12 when cold water flowing from a filler valve 13 is supplied to a channel pipe 111 in response to an operation of a flush handle 16; an operating chamber 120 that is formed through the water supply tube 110 and defines an operating space for installing a supply water switching unit 130; the supply water switching unit 130 that is installed in the operating chamber 120 so that, when the toilet water is discharged into a toilet bowl 11 in response to an operation of the flush handle 16, the switching unit 130 opens the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110 and, when the water level in the toilet tank is reduced due to the discharge of toilet water, the switching unit 130 closes the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110, thereby filling the toilet tank 12 with water; a fill-up water inlet hole 140 that is formed through a switching unit body 131 of the supply water switching unit 130 in such a way that the inlet hole 140 communicates with a guide opening 132 of the supply water switching unit 130 and can supply fill-up water to the toilet bowl 11; a water level control unit 150 that is mounted to an end of the supply water switching unit 130 and has a plurality of level control holes 153 so that the water level can be controlled by controlling the height of a float 160; the float 160 that is mounted to one of the level control holes 153 of the water level control unit 150 so that the float 160 can open or close the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110 according to a change in the water level of the toilet tank 12; and a rim water supply pipe 170 that is mounted to the water supply tube 110 and supplies water to a rim 11 a of the toilet bowl. Hereinbelow, the present invention will be described in detail.

In the present invention, it is preferred that the operating chamber 120 be formed horizontally so that the operating chamber 120 can be perpendicular to the channel pipe 111 and can communicate with an inlet opening 112.

The supply water switching unit 130 includes the switching unit body 131 that is installed in the operating chamber 120. The interior of the switching unit body 131 is open in a direction, thereby forming the guide opening 132 for guiding the toilet water. One end of the switching unit body 131 is provided with a mounting shaft 133 for mounting the water level control unit 150 to the switching unit body 131.

The water level control unit 150 includes a support link 151 that is mounted to the end of the supply water switching unit 130. The first end of the support link 151 has a wire connection hole 152 and the second end of the support link 151 has the plurality of level control holes 153 to one of which the float 160 is connected.

The switching device further includes a water control unit 200 that is operated as follows. The pressure of water that is supplied from the filler valve 13 to the rim 11 a through the water supply tube 110 draws water from a vertical pipe 220 so that the water of the vertical pipe 220 of the water control unit 200 can be supplied to the rim 11 a through the water supply tube 110. In the above state, a buoy 240 moves downward according to a reduction in the water level so that the front end of the water level control unit 150 is forcibly lifted up and the channel pipe 111 is closed, thereby filling the toilet tank 12 with water.

The water control unit 200 includes: a discharge hole 210 that is formed in a side of the water supply tube 110; the vertical pipe 220 that is mounted to the discharge hole 210; a support member 230 that is installed in the vertical pipe 220 and has a through hole 230 a in the center thereof; the buoy 240 that is seated on the support member 230 and moves upward or downward according to a change in the water level inside the toilet tank 10 in such a way that, when the buoy 240 moves downward, the buoy 240 comes into close contact with the upper surface of the support member 230; an actuating unit 250 that is coupled to the buoy 240 and is mounted to the upper end of the vertical pipe 220; and a lift wire 260 that is connected both to the actuating unit 250 and to the water level control unit 150.

The switching device further includes a time control unit 270 that is mounted to the through hole 230 a of the support member 230 and controls a flow passage switching time of the water supply tube 110 by controlling the amount of discharge water.

Hereinbelow, the process of installing the switching device having the above-mentioned construction will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 4, the supply water switching unit 130 is installed in the operating chamber 120 of the water supply tube 110. Thereafter, the water level control unit 150 is placed on the side of the supply water switching unit 130 and is mounted to the mounting shaft 133 of the supply water switching unit 130.

Here, a cover 130′ may be mounted to the water supply tube 110 so that the cover 130′ can prevent the supply water switching unit 130 from being undesirably removed.

Thereafter, the float 160 is mounted to one of the level control holes 153 of the water level control unit 150 and the rim water supply pipe 170 is connected to the upper end of the water supply tube 110.

In the above state, it is preferred that the guide opening 132 of the supply water switching unit 130 communicates with the channel pipe 111 in a state in which the float 160 has moved upwards around the mounting shaft 133.

Further, the vertical pipe 220 of the water control unit 200 is connected to the discharge hole 210 of the water supply tube 110, and the support member 230 having the through hole 230 a in the center is inserted into the vertical pipe 220 such that the support member 230 can come into close contact with the bottom of the vertical pipe 220.

In addition, the buoy 240 is combined with the actuating unit 250 that is mounted to the upper end of the vertical pipe 220 so that the buoy 240 may be placed on the support member 230.

Here, it is preferred that the diameter of the buoy 240 be smaller than that of the upper surface of the support member 230.

The buoy 240 is combined with an actuating rod 250 b of the actuating unit 250, and both the buoy 240 and the actuating rod 250 b move upward or downward around the hinge shaft 250 a according to a change in the water level inside the toilet tank.

A first end of the lift wire 260 is connected to the actuating unit 250, and a second end of the lift wire 260 is connected to the wire connection hole 152 of the water level control unit 150.

Further, the time control unit 270 is mounted to the through hole 230 a so that the amount of water which is discharged from the vertical pipe 220 to the water supply tube 110 can be controlled.

When the above-mentioned assembly is finished, the rim water supply pipe 170 is connected to the rim 11 a of the toilet bowl 11 and the filler valve 13 inside the toilet tank 12 is connected to a supply hole 111′ of the water supply tube 110 using a hose H so that water can be supplied.

The switching device having the above-mentioned construction is operated as follows.

When the flush handle 16 is manipulated, the tank ball 15 is opened and toilet water that is stored in the toilet tank 120 is discharged to the trap 11 b, as shown in FIGS. 9 through 12.

When the toilet water is discharged to the trap 11 b as described above, cold water is supplied from the filler valve 13. Here, the cold water is supplied to the water supply tube 110 through the hose H that is connected to the filler valve 13.

The water that has been supplied into the supply hole 111′ of the water supply tube 110 flows both to the guide opening 132 of the supply water switching unit 130 that is installed in the channel pipe 111 and to the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110. In the above state, toilet water that is stored in the toilet tank 12 is drawn through the inlet opening 112 of the water supply tube 110 so that the toilet water can be supplied to the rim through the channel pipe 111.

Here, the float 160 is intended to float in water inside the toilet tank by buoyancy and this buoyancy acts on the supply water switching unit 130 so that the supply water switching unit 130 maintains an open state of the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110.

When the toilet water is discharged from the toilet tank 12 to the toilet bowl 11 and the water level in the toilet tank is reduced, the float 160 that is mounted to the water level control unit 150 moves downward and the supply water switching unit 130 is rotated in the operating chamber 120 according to the downward movement of the float 160, so that the channel pipe 111 is closed.

When the channel pipe 111 is closed as described above, the cold water is not further supplied to the channel pipe 111 but is supplied to the toilet tank 12, so that the toilet tank 12 can be filled with water.

In the above state, although the float 160 is intended to move upward by buoyancy according to an increase in the water level inside the toilet tank 12, the float 160 cannot move upward because the pressure of water that is supplied through the supply hole 111′ continuously acts on the supply water switching unit 130.

When water is supplied to the toilet tank 12 as described above, a predetermined amount of water is supplied to the rim 11 a through the fill-up water inlet hole 140 of the supply water switching unit 130, the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110 and the rim water supply pipe 170, thereby being discharged to the toilet bowl 11.

When a predetermined amount of water has been stored in the toilet tank 12, the force that acts on the supply water switching unit 130 is removed so that the float 160 is returned to an original position thereof.

As shown in FIG. 13, the float 160 can be mounted to one of the level control holes 153 that are formed in the support link 151 of the water level control unit 150 so that the water level in the toilet tank can be controlled.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 14 through 16, when the toilet bowl 11 is blocked or is not normally operated because of refuse, the water level in the toilet tank 12 is not reduced from a predetermined level but is increased. In the above state, the float 160 floats in water due to buoyancy so that the supply water switching unit 130 opens the channel pipe 111 of the water supply tube 110.

Therefore, the cold water that is supplied from the filler valve 13 is discharged to the rim 11 a through the water supply tube 110 and, at the same time, the toilet water stored in the vertical pipe 220 is drawn into the water supply tube 110 by the pressure of the cold water, thereby being discharged to the rim 11 a.

When the toilet water is discharged from the vertical pipe 220, the buoy 240 that is combined with the actuating rod 250 b of the actuating unit 250 moves downward and the actuating unit 250 is rotated around the hinge shaft 250 a according to the downward movement of the buoy 240.

In the above state, the lift wire 260 that is connected to the actuating unit 250 lifts up the front end of the water level control unit 150 so that both the water level control unit 150 and the supply water switching unit 130 are rotated around the mounting shaft 133 in a direction in which the channel pipe 111 is closed. Accordingly, the flow passage is switched.

In other words, the present invention can switch the flow passage before the water that is discharged through the rim water supply pipe 170 flows over the toilet bowl 11, so that the toilet tank 12 can be filled with toilet water.

Further, as shown in FIG. 17, the time control unit 270 is mounted to the through hole 230 a so that the amount of water that is discharged from the vertical pipe 220 to the water supply tube 110 can be controlled and the time to lift up the water level control unit 150 according to the downward movement of the buoy 240 can be controlled.

Here, a supply water control unit 300 may be mounted to the water supply tube 110 so that the amount of water that is supplied from the filler valve 13 to the water supply tube 110 can be controlled.

Although the present invention has been described for illustrative purposes with embodiments and accompanying drawings, the terminologies or words used in the description and the claims of the present invention should not be interpreted as being limited merely to their common and dictionary meanings. On the contrary, they should be interpreted based on the meanings and concepts of the invention in keeping with the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the form of the present invention shown and described in the embodiments and in the accompanying drawings is to be taken as preferred embodiments of the present invention and that various changes and modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A switching device for rim water in a low tank toilet, comprising: a water supply tube that draws and supplies toilet water from a toilet tank when cold water flowing from a filler valve is supplied to a channel pipe thereof in response to an operation of a flush handle; an operating chamber that is formed through the water supply tube and defines an operating space for installing a supply water switching unit; the supply water switching unit that is installed in the operating chamber so that, when toilet water is discharged into a toilet bowl in response to an operation of the flush handle, the supply water switching unit opens the channel pipe of the water supply tube and, when a water level in the toilet tank is reduced due to discharge of toilet water, the supply water switching unit closes the channel pipe of the water supply tube, thereby filling the toilet tank with water; a fill-up water inlet hole that is formed through a switching unit body of the supply water switching unit in such a way that the fill-up water inlet hole communicates with a guide opening of the supply water switching unit and can supply fill-up water to the toilet bowl; a water level control unit which includes a support link that is mounted to an end of the supply water switching unit, a wire connection hole that is formed in a first end of the support link, and a plurality of level control holes that are formed in a second end of the support link so that a float can be mounted to one of the level control holes so as to control the water level; the float that is mounted to one of the level control holes of the water level control unit so that the float can open or close the channel pipe of the water supply tube according to a change in the water level of the toilet tank; and a rim water supply pipe that is mounted to the water supply tube and supplies water to a rim of the toilet bowl.
 2. The switching device for rim water in the low tank toilet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the operating chamber is formed horizontally so that the operating chamber is perpendicular to the channel pipe and communicates with an inlet opening.
 3. The switching device for rim water in the low tank toilet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the supply water switching unit comprises: the switching unit body that is installed in the operating chamber; the guide opening for guiding toilet water, the guide opening being formed by opening an interior of the switching unit body in a direction; and a mounting shaft that is provided on one end of the switching unit body so as to mount the water level control unit to the switching unit body.
 4. The switching device for rim water in the low tank toilet as set forth in claim 1, further comprising: a water control unit that is operated in such a way that water is drawn from a vertical pipe thereof by pressure of water that is supplied from the filler valve to the rim through the water supply tube, so that the water of the vertical pipe can be supplied to the rim through the water supply tube, and a buoy moves downward according to a reduction in the water level and forcibly lifts up a front end of the water level control unit and closes the channel pipe, thereby filling the toilet tank with water.
 5. The switching device for rim water in the low tank toilet as set forth in claim 4, wherein the water control unit comprises: a discharge hole formed in a side of the water supply tube; the vertical pipe mounted to the discharge hole; a support member that is installed in the vertical pipe and has a through hole in a center thereof; the buoy that is seated on the support member and moves upward or downward according to a change in the water level inside the toilet tank in such a way that, when the buoy moves downward, the buoy comes into close contact with an upper surface of the support member; an actuating unit that is coupled to the buoy and is mounted to an upper end of the vertical pipe; and a lift wire that is connected both to the actuating unit and to the water level control unit.
 6. The switching device for rim water in the low tank toilet as set forth in claim 5, further comprising: a time control unit that is mounted to the through hole of the support member and controls a flow passage switching time of the water supply tube by controlling an amount of discharge water. 